Prerequisites for a New Condensation System in a Power Producing Product

Abstract

The Earth’s climate has always been changing, since the origin of our planet. The rate of change is now rapidly increasing in a substantial scale, leading to new challenges. The average temperature on Earth has risen 0.9 degrees since the 19th century and the oceans have absorbed a substantial amount of heat and carbon dioxide, believed leading to ocean acidification killing the marine life. Ice sheets on Greenland and Antarctica are shrinking, glacial retreat and snow cover decreases have been observed around the world. Sea levels are rising globally with an accelerating speed forcing people to move from their homes (NASA 2018a).
Numerous studies show that 97 percent of actively publishing climate scientists believe that climate- warming trends are extremely likely to be caused by human activity. The increased use of fossil fuels has resulted in high values of emitted carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases. The heat trapping capability of carbon dioxide and other gases results in an increased warming of the Earth (NASA 2018b). To be able to reduce greenhouse gas emissions there is a need to use fossil fuel free energy. Today, there are wind power, solar power and hydro power (EIA 2018). But there is a need for energy production when the wind isn’t blowing, the sun isn’t shining and that will not harm the wildlife (Nunez 2019). There is a need for a base load of energy.
A company in Sweden has developed a product utilizing both energy that already exists, such as waste heat, as well as new energy produced from geothermal sources to generate electricity. By utilizing low temperature waste heat from industries and ships the product can generate electricity from heat that otherwise would have been wasted. Geothermal energy has the potential to represent a far greater share of renewable energy technology but due to disadvantages such as high drilling costs to access suitable temperatures, the growth of geothermal energy as a renewable energy source has stagnated (Richter 2019). The product referred to in this report can, by its low temperature operating point, turn low heat into electricity enabling much lower electricity costs.
This study investigates possibilities to improve the condensation system of the product with a fo- cus on the potential benefits of replacing components in the module with an indirect condenser in order to make the system more simple, efficient and cost-effective. The function of the product is thoroughly explained in order to lay the basis for understanding the existing condensation system, exploring different solutions involving various condensers and what challenges a new system may lead to. This has been done together with employees, professors and heat exchanger manufacturers.
The results show that a new system with an indirect condenser has the potential to improve the system. Additionally, the report presents what aspects and further studies that are needed to be considered in order to find an optimal system possible to implement in the machine. The report shows advantages and disadvantages with different types of indirect condensers in relation to specific requirements for this application.

Popular Abstract

Whenever you see one of those tall chimneys in the city with water vapor white smoke, you can think of it as a potential energy source. We are living in a time where it is crucial that we make use of the resources that we have and reduce our impact on our planet. Today, 50% of the world’s energy is wasted as heat, some of it through those chimneys.
A company in Sweden has developed a product that can produce power from low- temperature heat and thereby recover a lot of that wasted energy. Additionally, the product can extract power from shallow geothermal sources. When being able to use lower temperatures, geothermal energy can be utilized in many more places. Geothermal energy is a great energy source for creating a sustainable base load, which in contrast to other intermittent energy sources constantly can provide power, even when the wind is still and the sun isn’t shining.
The technology behind the product is based on low pressure Organic Rankine Cycle technology where a hot and cold source makes a turbine drive a generator to produce electricity. This study investigates the possibilities to improve the condensation system of the product, focusing on the potentials of replacing components in the machine with an indirect condenser in order to make the system more simple, efficient and cost- effective.
Today, the product’s condensation system consists of a direct condenser and a heat exchanger. By looking at indirect condensers, instead of a direct condenser, the system can be reduced from two components and two fluid circulation loops to one. The study also shows that it is possible to find a cheaper solution as well as a system having a lower condensation pressure, increasing the efficiency of the product. Nevertheless, further studies are needed especially to test theory in reality under the particular circumstances for this application.
There are a lot of good technologies that can be used for a more sustainable power production. However, it is also important to make the technologies economically beneficial to be able to expand and compete with traditional energy production. By improving the product and make it cheaper, it can be available to more people and businesses, contributing to a world with more fossil free energy.

• author: Wallenius Kral, Hannah and Dyster-Aas, Olivia
• supervisor: Martin Andersson
• organization: Department of Energy Sciences
• course: MVKM01 20191
• year: 2019
• type: H2 - Master's Degree (Two Years)
• subject: Technology and Engineering
• keywords: Condensation, indirect condenser, non-condensables, ORC
• report number: LUTMDN/TMHP-19/5443-SE
• ISSN: 0282-1990
• language: English
• id: 8990457
• date added to LUP: 2019-08-08 14:22:27
• date last changed: 2019-08-08 14:22:27